Gratin of Zucchini and Squash (Kabak Graten)

When I was in Greece this past summer I also took a spontaneous trip to Turkey. Turkey's largest city is Istanbul and us Greeks still call it by it's old name of Constantinople. To this day, it remains the center of Greek Orthodoxy and I believe every Greek and philhellene should visit this enchanted, warm, vibrant and historical city.

Istanbul has a population of close to 20 million and for a city this large, it functions quite well. Oh, there's traffic and such but the city moves.

I was also charmed by the city's beauty, landmarks, history and the warmth of it's citizens. I was part of a Greek group and everywhere we visited we were greeted as neighbors, valued tourists and we were made to feel as though we were not far from home.

We stayed in the Pera district where nearby it, runs Istiklal Street with it's pedestrian mall, no automobiles and only a trolley and shoppers allowed to pass through it. Istiklal has many shops and eateries to choose from and most (if not all) the diplomatic offices (Consulates) are housed here.

This where I had my first meal in Istanbul. We had traveled all night by motorcoach and we were sightseeing all morning. I was famished and I was eager to try Turkish cooking to taste the similarities and differences between Greek and Turkish cuisine.

As in Greece, one can find many eateries with open kitchens. This is where one can view the day's offerings or specials of the day. This means one gets to eat the freshest and seasonal foods of the day.

I ordered some roast chicken, some rice pilaf and this pie-like baked dish made of zucchini and squash. It was to die for! It reminded me of the filling us Greeks use for cheese pies, heavy in cheese, onion and dill.

I've though long and hard to jar my memory and try and recreate this food memory from Istanbul and I proud to say, I did it!

If anyone of Turkish origins knows what this dish would be called, I'd be more than happy to amend this post and acknowledge it's Turkish name.

One last thing about Constantinople....I'll be back!

Gratin of Zucchini and Squash

1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 large onion,
large zucchinis, cut into round slices
1/2 carrot, box grated
1 sweet banana pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups of squash, and diced
1/2 cup of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 cup of aged white cheddar
A few springs of thyme
1/2 cup of chopped fresh dill
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. of chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
some grated cheese for topping

Preheated 375F oven

1. Take a large skillet and melt your butter under medium high heat. Add your onions, carrots and red peppers and reduce to medium and allow to soften for 10 minutes.
2. Add your zucchini and squash and a pinch of , thyme and reduce to medium and cover and cook for another 10 -15 minutes or until the zucchini and squash have softened. Add your scallions, dill and parsley and stir in until warmed through.
   
3. Add your flour and stir it in to incorporate well and cook out the rawness of the flour. Add your milk and gently stir until the mixture becomes creamy.
4. Add your cheese into the skillet, stirring to mix and melt into the vegetables. Adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and add a dash of nutmeg.
5. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole and top with some grated cheddar and bread crumbs.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes on the middle rack or until the top is golden brown.
   

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